Heinz Günther Jakob (Essen, Germany) told CX delegates about a new three-zone aortic arch hybrid prosthesis, which has been designed to reduce ischaemic times by 50%. Jakob reported that the three-stage hybrid graft was created with the aim of reducing the rate of complications seen with the E-vita open hybrid prosthesis (Jotec) in some patients.
He said that it consists of a “descending aortic covered stent graft, followed by a non-covered stent graft for the arch, and a Dacron part for the ascending aorta” and that it has been designed to “reduce ischaemic times by more than 50%.”
The primary indications for the graft would be “sick octogenarians” or in situations where there is “dramatic malperfusion” (such as myocardial infarction, stroke, and prolonged visceral ischaemia). He reported that in a small pig study (of six pigs), there was a technical success rate of 100% and a visceral ischaemia time of 21 minutes.
Jakob concluded: “After passing all regulatory affairs with the hospital, four grafts are under construction for the first-in-man implantation.” He added at present, the graft was just designed to be implanted via conventional surgery (through median sternotomy), but said that “of course” they also planned to assess the transapical or transfemoral route as well.
